For race officers, mark layers and judges in Canadian sailing, Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028 cycle. Covers certification levels, courses, Safe Sport and police check requirements, course symbols and Sail Canada course diagrams.
World Sailing revises and publishes the Racing Rules of Sailing every four years. The current edition is the Racing Rules of Sailing 2025-2028, which took effect on 1 January 2025.
Sail Canada sells the book with the Sail Canada Prescriptions included. It incorporates the changes and corrections World Sailing approved as of 1 January 2025, and was listed at $38.00 on Sail Canada's product page.
Links: https://www.sailing.ca/product/the-racing-rules-of-sailing-2025-2028/ and https://www.sailing.org/documents/racingrules/
Assistant Race Officer (ARO): take the 4-hour Sail Canada ARO Race Management Course.
Club Race Officer (CRO): take the 12-hour Sail Canada CRO Race Management Course and have a record of practical Race Committee experience.
Certification and recertification for both are handled by the provincial associations in Ontario, British Columbia and Quebec, and by Sail Canada for all other applicants, using the online application form on the race management program page.
Regional Race Officer (RRO): at least two years as a Club Race Officer and the Advanced Race Management Course. Certified by Sail Canada.
National Race Officer (NRO): at least two years as an RRO, the Advanced Race Management Course, experience at different venues, and an on-the-water assessment. Certified by Sail Canada.
International Race Officer (IRO): certified by World Sailing. Before Sail Canada nominates an applicant, the Sail Canada RMSC must verify the World Sailing requirements.
Regional and National Race Officers also need Safe Sport Training and a criminal background check.
Race Officer certification and recertification use an online application form linked from the race management program page. Sail Canada also publishes a Race Officer event log, a certification matrix, a requirement checklist and NRO assessment forms and instructions.
Club Mark Layer (CML): take the 5-hour Sail Canada Club Mark Layer Course and have a record of laying marks at 4 races over 3 different days. Apply through your Provincial Sailing Association.
Regional Mark Layer (RML): take the 9-hour Sail Canada Regional Mark Layer Course and have experience as a Mark Layer at a minimum of 3 events of provincial or higher level. Apply to Sail Canada.
Apply to Sail Canada for each conductor role:
Safe Sport Training is required for Regional and National officials and is accepted for 5 years from the date of completion. Options:
Criminal background check is required for Regional and National Race Officers and is accepted for 3 years from the date obtained. Submit a police check (from a local station or a preferred provider) to official@sailing.ca, or use Sterling Backcheck, which can send results to Sail Canada directly. Sail Canada can provide a volunteer-status letter to help you get a free check at many police stations.
Club Judge: supports club racing by serving on protest committees and advising on rules and procedures at the home club or nearby events. Provincial Sailing Associations run the seminars (often in the off-season or alongside a regatta). A candidate must attend a seminar and pass a test before certification. A sample test and answer key are available before the seminar.
Regional Judge: chairs protest committees for local and regional events and routinely sits on protest committees for national events. Certified by the Sail Canada Judges Sub-Committee: attend a seminar and pass a test, usually held with the Sail Canada Annual General Meeting or at other times when enough candidates are available. US Sailing Regional/National seminars and tests are accepted. Safe Sport Training and a criminal background check are also required.
National Judge: serves as Chief Judge for national and international events and may periodically sit on International Juries. Certified by the Sail Canada Judges Sub-Committee, with seminars organized by Sail Canada. US Sailing Regional/National seminars and tests are accepted.
Absent mitigating physical limitations, Regional and National Judges can be expected to be capable of judging Rule 42 on the water.
Sail Canada's course diagrams follow the World Sailing convention. A course signal has up to three letter groups, at most one letter per group and in this order, followed by a single digit giving the number of beats:
Example: LRA2 is a windward/leeward course with a reaching finish, an offset mark at the windward end, and two windward legs.
Offered diagrams include windward/leeward courses (L, W, LA, WA, M), trapezoid and triangle courses (O, I, IO, TL, TW), Optimist team racing, CORK courses and boat-specific courses for classes such as WASZP, Moth, Formula Kite and iQFOiL.
Sail Canada's resources for officials page lists:
Questions about officials can go to official@sailing.ca.
Links: https://www.sailing.ca/resources-for-officials/ and https://www.sailing.ca/officials/